11 December,2011 08:24 AM IST | | ANI
A Taiwanese city is keeping dog mess off its streets by offering prizes to owners who clear up after their pets.
Officials in New Taipei City say that over 4,000 people have collected 14,500 bags of excrement. For each bag they turned in, they were given a lottery ticket.
According to the BBC, a woman in her 50s won the top prize - a gold ingot worth 2,200 dollars.
The scheme was due to end in October, but officials said it had been so successful it had been extended.
The BBC says that it has been credited with halving the amount of dog mess in the city, which is near the capital.
Dog poo is a health hazard because it contains bacteria that can cause severe stomach upsets if ingested, including a roundworm infection called toxocariasis, which is especially dangerous to children.
A total of 85 people won prizes, including household appliances.
